Alumina Design Project Business Proposal

Product Need

* Most widely used ceramic oxide[http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1389]

* 90% is used for the production of aluminium metal

* Used to produce industrial or medical ceramics

* Alumina Properties:

* Abrasive

* Thermal Resistivity

* High electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity; eliminates risk of static build up

Production Process Feasibility and Viability

* Bauxite is the 2nd most abundant naturally occurring mineral, as such the price should not be subject to volatile fluctuation

* Bauxite is made up of 40-60% alumina (use for waste slurry)[ http://bauxite.world-aluminium.org/refining/process.html]?

* Located near bauxite mines and water supply due to process requirements and perhaps export of product? (Could we locate top aluminium producer and locate near them so that even if they have cheaper alumina source of supply, the reduction in transfer costs will make price competitive?)

* Bayer Process Stages [http://www.aluminiumleader.com/en/facts/extraction/]:

* Milling- washed and particles crushed to reduce particle size

* Digestion- finely ground bauxite is mixed with recycled caustic soda (NaOH) and steam at high temperatures and pressure.

* Digestion dissolves the alumina and separates from the bauxite mud according to the following equations, this generates sodium aluminate supersaturated solution [http://bauxite.world-aluminium.org/refining/process.html]:

* NB:- the digester conditions are set according to the bauxite ore properties.

* NB:- Disadvantages of high temperatures including corrosion problems and the possibility of oxides other than alumina dissolving into the caustic liquor.

* Settling: Cooled in flash tanks to separate (via settling) bauxite residue and liquor (with dissolved sodium aluminate). Chemical additives added to aid flocculation of bauxite residue and speed up sedimentation.

* Washing Tanks:...